Your Favorite High Fantasy Books

[ProfessorMLyon]

If figured this group of prolific readers was the to ask this question. I work at a library and we are working on creating a reader's advisory resource of High Fantasy. What are your recommendations, bot well-known and not so well-known?

[Shivertongue]

The Wheel of Time, for starters. Like it or hate it, it has had a tremendous impact on fantasy literature. It was the series that hooked me on the genre - not the first I read, but the one that dragged me completely into loving it.

David Farland's The Runelords is also a fun series, and of course the Sword-Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson, one of my personal favorites.

There are more I could list, but I'll let other people make some suggestions.

[Ironeyes]

Obviously, the cosmere books. I would also recommend the Prydain series.

[Arcanist Lupus]

Lord of the Rings? anyone? anyone?

[Belechael]

I figured this thread was worth signing up

There used to be a rather nice list, that unfortunately stopped being updated, that you can still find here.

It's the Recommended Fantasy Author List that started in the alt.fan.eddings newsgroup. It's a very long list, and personally I don't agree with everything it's being written there, but I have found some excellent books suggested there, so it is definitely worth reading at some point.

My personal short list is:

Lord of the Rings/Hobbit/Silmarilion

The Wheel of Time Books by Robert Jordan

The Malazan book of the Fallen Books by Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy by Tad Williams

At least the first 3 books from the Midkemia Books by Raymond Feist

I can write several more, but lets keep the suggestions running for a while

[Yados]

I *really* like Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. It might be my favorite, all said and done.

Song of Ice and Fire is well-done epic, even if it's by way characters that would be more at home in a low-fantasy. Also it's not done.

[guess]

I read the first Malazan books due to all the people on here who like them. I had to force myself to finish it. I was really bored.

[Joe ST]

Indeed, it took me a good while to get through the first Malazan, but the rest. Oh the rest are AWESOME

[dyring]

Well, to not swamp with all the books from any one author for start, but leaving some "extras" for later when/if some author becomes really popular, Here are a few of my suggestions.

Mistborn trilogy and Elantris from Brandon.

LOTR and Bilbo from Tolkien

Tigana/Guy Gavlriel Kay(not certain on the spelling on his name;)

Magician - Raymond E Feist.

The Belgariad /D. Eddings(mostly for slightly younger readers, I loved it once, don´t really like it now

Colour of magic/The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchet.

The Heritage of Shannara /Terry Brooks (not technically the start of the series, but oh well)

Waylander and/or Legend/David Gemmel.(His books are all standalone, personally I like theese 2 the best.

Wheel of time/Robert Jordan

Edited September 26, 2012 by dyring

[Cracknut]

Mistborn and Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson

Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson

Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

Warded Man - Peter V. Brett

Night Angel - Brent Weeks

Edited September 26, 2012 by 213

[Lady_Yasha]

The Wheel of Time, for starters. Like it or hate it, it has had a tremendous impact on fantasy literature. It was the series that hooked me on the genre - not the first I read, but the one that dragged me completely into loving it.

This, for the same reasons. Although before I read WoT I wasn't much into reading fantasy at all. Most of my experience was with James Herbert, Dean Koontz and John Carpenter novels. Horror and mystery stories. Thanks to WoT fantasy became the biggest genre for me.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Lyrebon

[Aethling]

I just finished the first four of Britain's Green Rider books, they were really good. Probably my favorite is Eddings' Garion books and the two prequels.

[Observer]

'fraid I'm just gonna say the Cosmere series and leave it at that. Hands down best stuff I've ever read IMO.

[Voidus]

Robin Hobb has some good stuff, and yeah mostly what people have already said, Jordan, Sanderson, Weeks, Tolkein, Brooks, Eddings, Feist and of course Rothfuss.

Oh and one Australian author, Tony Shillitoe, I cannot find his books anywhere but I read them years ago and I absolutely loved them, he had an almost cosmere-ish thing going with a few series which were all connected behind-the-scenes. But yeah I'm not sure that you'd be able to get any copies.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Voidus

[dyring]

I could add Trudi Canavan too, The black magician triology. (1.The Magicians’ Guild, 2.The Novice 3.The High Lord), Simularily to Mistborn it got a female main char... wich I have found useful when trying to get female friends to like fantasy. Rather easy read thisone.

Edited October 2, 2012 by dyring

[Voidus]

I've been meaning to read the black magician for a while now, but then a new cosmere or WoT book comes out and I get distracted.

[Tamzin Ashevai]

Okay, on my to-read list remain the following:

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (which I'm about to begin and have stated as much).

The Prince of Nothing series by R. Scott Bakker.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson.

The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan

As if this isn't enough! Seriously! I've got so much to read!

[Lady_Yasha]

I've been meaning to read the black magician for a while now, but then a new cosmere or WoT book comes out and I get distracted.

I've got the first book sitting on my shelf too. Along with unread Dune novels and a ton of other starter books.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Lyrebon

[dionysus]

I am going to stray a little from just high Fantasy and talk about fantasy in general. Responses will be long as I actually typed them up a while ago for another forum.

First, to give you an idea on what I don't like so you can judge if our tastes align.

Malazan Book of the Fallen - Not enough characterization. have read 4 or so.

A Song of Ice and Fire - I hate this series because, much like WoT, it is going to influence a whole generation of authors, and I hate the lack of characterization. Couldn't stomach more than 1.5 books

Anything by Robin Hobb - How she creates such unlikeable characters I don't know. Have read that assassin series and the Forest Mage series.

Stuff I read but only consider good:

Brent Weeks - Good.

Patrick Rothfuss - at times he is brilliant, but at other times he is boring and slow, very bipolar. Same happens with how I feel about Kvothe, hate or love at different points in his books. Though that I am sure is intentional and is a result of writing a flawed character. Sanderson writes flawed characters too, but I am able to accept their flaws without feeling annoyance. I guess it is the fact that Kvothe never seems to learn anything. So far he has been a static character throughout books 1 and 2.

Tad Williams - Very good, only reason he doesn't get a long writeup is laziness.

WoT - No matter how good the first few and the Sanderson books are, I can't forgive the fact that there are at least 5 books that are terrible.

lan Campbell - The Deepgate Codex

Campbell explores what happens when the good gods (are they good?) abandon humanity and sentence all of us to hell. After a revolt in Heaven, the gates are shut to the dead and angels and gods are cast out to fend for themselves on earth. Thousands of years later, the story follows 2 angels, an assassin with an acute conscience, and a few other supporting characters as they struggle to do the right thing in a dark, industrial, and wholy unique world that Campbell creates. For example, Deepgate is a city over an abyss, supported by huge black iron chains over the hungry hoarder of souls and god of chains, Ulcis.

Characterization is excellent (Dill and Rachel are truly touching), and Campbell manages to be thematic without overburdening the reader with preaching, preferring to let the setting and characters deliver his message. Major themes include humanities right to salvation, justice or complete lack of it, and compassion.

A must read for the Fantasy enthusiast. Update now that the series is finished. Sadly, the last book is not nearly as good as the first. This is a trilogy where the strongest entry is the first. This is because Dill and Rachel get lost as he adds new characters and new plots.

Louis McMaster Bujold - She has won the Hugo award 4 times

My favorite works from her are the Chalion books. Hallowed Hunt and The Curse of Chalion being in my top 5 books bar none, and Paladin of Souls is good too but I am biased towards male leads. Bujold does the heroic character arc better than anyone, no hyperbole. These books are not high fantasy though. The main character doesn't save the world, he saves his friends and in the process overcomes himself. Bujold is one of the few fantasy (and sci-fi) writers who gets romance right as well. I don't recommend the Sharing Knife series as that is more a married romance story with a save the world plot thrown on top.

Here is what I wrote a while ago about Curse of Chalion.

For Cazaril, life has been a bitch. Betrayal and slavery have defined his life before the time period covered by the book, and Cazaril just wants to find a cushy job with some old friends and live a life of peace. But his wishes are not to be granted by the gods who have singled out Cazaril for a special destiny. Sounds pretty generic so far. The plot may not be the most original thing in the world, but let's be serious, most fantasy plots are generic. The reader follows Cazaril as he struggles to protect his royal pupil from enemies from Cazaril's past and a curse laid upon the royal family by the very gods themselves.

Lois does not shy away from weighty subject matter either. She depicts Caz's personal struggle against the pitiless gods and the demon's of his past. Through this struggle Lois explores familiar themes such as predetermination vs. free will, duty, the hold of the past, sacrifice, and humanity's relationship with the metaphysical. But weighty subject matter is only so much crap without engagement between the book and reader. Bujold accomplishes this through excellent characterization. Only a heart of stone would not develop a empathetic relationship with the main character and the engaging supporting cast. It is ultimately this empathy with Cazaril, in the midst of his struggles, that allows Lois to explore her themes and bring them home to the reader.

Jim Butcher - Codex Alera

I'll say upfront that the later books fall apart under their own weight, pretty much the exact problem I have with the Wheel of Time. The first books are good when the world is fresh, the character list is small, and you are able to feel empathy for the characters without being overwhelmed.

Tavi is a great character, and the books that give him enough space to do his thing are great. Basically 1 and 2. While Tavi is always the main character, his greatness isn't able to come through in later books.

Later books have too many characters, too many plot lines, and nothing can be resolved. Though more is resolved than in books 4-10 in WoT.

Edited October 17, 2012 by dionysus

[Yamato]

YAY FANTASY IZ GOOD!

Actually, Cosmere books were the first books to hook me on fantasy. I had read some before, but never was really satisfied with most of them. I've always been a huge reader, but never read more of one genre until I got hooked on fantasy.

Hmm I am the king of off topic.. anyway heres my favorites. all pretty obvious.

1.All Brandon Sanderson books that have and ever will be written in all universes. Including all in book books. INCEPTION!!!!

2. Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick ROTHFUSS THE MAN.

3. Song Of Ice And Fire and MAIN CHARACTERS DYING.

4. Gentlemen Bastards and other bastards by Scott lynch.

5.Wheel Of endless spinning in one direction indicating the passage of Time by Robert Jordan

6. Im putting Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide on this list because what he does is NOT sci fi. By that definition, it is simultaneously all genres at once. Adams logic.

:D :D :D

Edited October 17, 2012 by Yamato

[Observer]

I'll add Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear to the list. Good stuff, though I feel the need to point out that Kvothe as a person hasn't changed a ton. He has new memories, new abilities, and new surroundings, but it's still the same personality behind it. Looking at Kote though, it's quite likely we'll be seeing a dramatic change in the near future.

[dyring]

David Farland's The Runelords is also a fun series, and of course the Sword-Dancer series by Jennifer Roberson, one of my personal favorites.

Ordered the series today, so if it ent good I´ll call you a.. eh. Reader with with bad taste! so there, have at you!

[Yados]

Ordered the series today, so if it ent good I´ll call you a.. eh. Reader with with bad taste! so there, have at you!

I couldn't make it through the first one, personally, though it had a pretty interesting magic system played to good effect.

Taste is subjective, obviously.

[Trizee]

I feel obliged to add Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series.

[Branf]

Cannot emphasise how much I love Robbin Hobb, especially anything with Fitz in (Assassin's series and the Tawny man series). She is the reason I love Fantasy as a genre!

For younger readers anything by Tamora Pierce is really good, I still like to read her books now even though I probably should have grown out of them. Patritia Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is also good (and very funny).

Neil Gaimen hasn't been mentioned yet has he? American Gods is very good and so is Good Omens which he wrote with Terry Pratchett (another great one)

Finally, and most obviously, Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan.